Broken
by The Golden Snitch
Summary: About Zigzag, before and during, and maybe after Camp Green Lake.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me. I just wrote down some ideas before I forgot them forever and regretted it.  
  
Broken  
  
"Freak."  
"Weirdo."  
"Retard."  
The words echoed through Ricky's head. Why were kids so mean? Just because he was different didn't mean he was weird or a freak. Who cares anyway? He didn't. He also didn't need friends. One day he would show them, he would show them all. He'd show them who 'Freaky-Ricky-Weirdo' really was. But right now he had to go burn his sister's homework. Fire was he only friend, it was all he needed. 


	2. Unwell

Disclaimer: I own nothing (except my horse)  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Broken  
  
"Richard! Did you burn Talli's homework?!"  
A little boy, no older than seven, with big blue eyes of two different shades and curly blond hair looked up from a matchbook and a burning pile of toothpicks.  
"No, I didn't!" He shouted, quickly dumping a cup of water over the toothpicks and sweeping the whole mess under the bed. Just then, the door banged open and a girl, much taller than the boy, stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips.  
"You stupid psychotic pyromaniac! How dare you come into my room with your freakin' matches and torch my homework! You have to be the weirdest little freak I have ever met!" She spun on her heel and stormed out, the door slamming shut behind her.  
The little boy looked at the door, his duel colored eyes slowly filling with tears. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold lighter. Wrapped around the body of the lighter was a silver dragon with two blue gemstones for eyes. The gems were two different shades of blue, like the little boys own eyes. The lighter had been a gift from his father on his fifth birthday. His father had died shortly after, and the only thing he left his son with was the lighter, and a newborn sister.  
He cradled the lighter to his chest and rocked back and forth. For every hate-filled word his sister had flung at him, he slipped farther and farther into his mind, to a place where no one would hurt him. They couldn't get to him in his special place; he was a million miles away, having fun with people who cared about him.  
With a vacant smile, he reached for his matchbook and another pile of toothpicks. He set them down and ran to the bathroom for another cup of water. He learned the hard way - never light toothpicks of fire on you bedroom floor with out a source of water close by - ever. As he walked back to his room, he glanced over his shoulder. Vicky was hiding behind the hallway table and watching him, waiting for the right moment to pounce. He could never let his guard down, if he did, he was attacked by crazy two- year olds or mean bullies. So he kept an eye on his sister as he continued down the hall. When he passed Talli's room, he could hear music blaring through the closed door.  
  
~*" Well I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell, I know right now you can't tell, but stay a while and maybe then you'll see, a different side of me"*~  
  
He smiled at the irony of it all. That should be his theme song; he could just hear it playing every time someone looked at him (which meant that it would be playing constantly, and that would get annoying). The door swung shut behind him as he walked into his room, blocking out the music.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
I hope you like it so far, and I hope I got the lyrics right (its Unwell, and I believe Matchbox 20 wrote it, if I'm wrong, please correct me). I know that everyone writes about Ricky, and they always use that song, but I couldn't help it! The song wouldn't stay out of my head, and neither would Ziggy! He kept singing it over and over and over as he dug holes (he kept sing parts of Dig It too!) Anyways, tell me what you think. 


	3. Geometry

Standard disclaimers apply  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Broken  
  
"Ricky, please come up and explain how you got the answer for question number six on the math quiz." Mrs. Mathews asked, unaware, as usual, of the humiliation she put the little boy through. She didn't know, or maybe she didn't care, what the other kids said about him behind his back, or to his face. Or, maybe she did know, of course she did! She encouraged it! Well, he was going to show her! Third grade math? Haw! Show how he got the answer to 7x2? Easy cheesy! Just add: 7+7! What about geometry? None of the other kids knew how to do geometry, let alone what it is! He did, he 'borrowed' his mom's geometry book for reading one night. It was so easy!  
Ricky walked up to the board and picked up a piece of chalk. He stood there, staring at the board. He could just see it! The wonderful geometry problem written out in all its glory! Then everyone would be stunned. It was the most amazing geometry problem ever solved by a seven year old! There was a reason he was the youngest third grader. Then, maybe Mrs. Mathews would send out an application for one of those fancy privet schools for really smart people - he was cut off by a voice at the back of the class sneering at him - how does a third grader sneer anyway?  
"Poor little Ricky, he can't even multiply 7x2! Man, your so stupid, maybe your, right and they are out to get you - to take you away for good!"  
The class snickered and the chalk snaped in half, unnoticed by anyone. When had he said someone was out to get him? The only people he could think of were his sister and the bullies. Oh, that explained it. Keith Barrenger was one of the biggest bullies ever, and he had been in his math class since kindergarten. Then Ricky realized the truth. No one believed he was smart enough to understand third grade math, much less geometry. After entertaining the thought of lighting Keith's hair on fire, he looked back at the board and wrote:  
  
7x2=14 or 7+7=14  
14 divided by 2=7 or 14-7=7  
  
Let them wonder. He couldn't let them find out how smart he was. They'd take him away to study his brain or something worse. He set the chalk down and retuned to his seat. He sat down and stared straight ahead. Behind him he could hear Keith Barrenger talking to his friends.  
"I told you he was a retard."  
"Wow, that's so cool, maybe my dad could study him of something."  
"But I thought your dad studied the Northern Lights?"  
"He studies weird things in nature."  
"Oh."  
He slipped his hand in his pocket and closed it around his lighter, which he had smuggled into school. Yes, no one could find out how smart he really was.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Wow, I did all this in one hour. Please review! 


	4. Mr Manson

Wow, I got so many reviews, much more than I got for my last fic, which died. I would like to thank all of my reviewers and give them berry flavored alfalfa cubes (Dottie's (my horse) favorite treat!) Its so cool to get reviews from the people who inspired my to write Holes fanfiction!!  
  
Beena-Pani - Thank you so much! I read your story, Sense and Sanity (as well as a few others), and really like it (them)!!! You review means so much to me (considering its my first)!  
  
DramaQueen110 - Thank you for you kind review(s)! I read Messed Up; actually, I was reading it before I checked my reviews. Wow (bugs out eyes {looks crazy}). I didn't come up with the song for Ziggy; I have read about seven stories that were already using it. Like I said, Ziggy wouldn't stop singing the songs as he dug holes in my head.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Zigzag. I don't own Squid either (he's not in the story yet, but I thought I might mention that).  
  
Chapter 3 Broken  
  
"So, Ricky, I hear you failed another math test." The tall, hooked nose principle leaned over the desk and glared at the student sitting in front of him.  
  
"Who told you that? How did they know? Their liars! All of them. They only want me kicked out of school! It was planted. The CIA is looking for me. Where are my shorts?" Ricky, who was now twelve years old, said in a rush.  
  
The principle, Mr. Manson, sighed. The only part he understood was the 'Their liars' part. The poor kid. He had been under so much mental stress since he started school. Mr. Manson's eyes skimmed across the file laying open on the desk in front of him. Ever since third grade, the once brilliant students grades had been going down hill. He looked at one note from a Mrs. Mathews, Ricky's third grade teacher.  
  
~*'I don't understand what is going on with Ricky. He used to be at the top of his class in everything. Then, on day he started purposely failing his tests (mind you, as soon as he started to fail, so did Keith Barrenger, who sits behind him). The poor child has lost all his will to pass, and every time someone mentions one of the prep schools for children of academic brilliance, he seems to flinch, and glance around warily. I think it might have something to do with his home life, from what I understand, his mother is taking classes at the collage, and works two or more jobs to support her children, and the father is never home. I believe he is no longer in their life. He gets no support from home, and his older sister enjoys taunting him.'*~  
  
Ricky glanced at the file that Mr. Manson was so interested in. From his vantage point he could see a picture of himself paper clipped to the top of the file, upside-down, of course. Written in (upside-down) bold letters was his name, then more pages of information than he cared to count. And, he didn't remember there being any cameras around when that picture was taken - they had to be using hidden cameras! They WERE watching him. This was really bad. And that crazy principle was reading all that stuff. He bet most of it was privet, and the principle had no right to know about it.  
  
He read a bit of the upside-down writing (hey, he was a genius in hiding, so he can read upside-down). Oh, that explained why Barrenger had started failing soon after Ricky began to intentionally flunk his tests. The little cheat. Well, that explains why Keith didn't sit behind him now, he behind him and to the left two seats. The bully was still stalking his math classes. It was a bit of a coincidences that he had been in every math class from kindergarten up to seventh grade. And they both flunked a grade together! He had to be purposely flunking as well!  
  
Wait, who did Mrs. Mathews know so much about his home life? He had been right, she was watching his every move!  
  
"Ricky, we have reason to believe that the stress of a school environment is to much for you, so we will be moving you into a different class, except for math, you will be staying with Mr. Frostier. From now on, all of you classes will be in portable 6, with Ms. Delray."  
  
No! That portable was where all the *special* kids go, the ones with the above average IQ's, exactly what he had been trying to avoid all his life. They were going to pick his brain, find out how smart he really was, and then send him to a lab to find out what made him tick!  
  
"One more thing before you leave, Ricky. You will be seeing a councilor, Mrs. Dancekey, once a week to talk about how you feel."  
  
Ricky stared, his duel colored eyes wide with horror. "Don't I get a say in the matter? There is no way I am going to spill my feelings to someone who will write everything down and save it to be used against me later."  
  
"Stop being so paranoid. Of course you get a say in the matter. Just take it up with Mrs. Dancekey when you see her, tomorrow. You'd better get going Ricky, the buses are going to leave soon."  
  
Ricky walked out of the office, his eyes still wide. How could this day get any worse?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Well, there is chapter four; I hope it is longer than the last three. Poor Ricky, you NEVER ask how something could get worse, its bad luck! 


	5. Happy March 22nd

DramaQueen110 - Cool, I can read upside down too, sort of, and I can read right to left! But can you read really small words, from two feet away upside down? I can't :(. Anyways, I don't think I stole you your idea, I think it was mentioned in the movie that Keith was in Ricky's math class. I just put him in every math class he ever had. Thanks so much for you review, its nice to get someone who constantly reviews your work. It makes my feel so special.  
  
Tears of Blood From My Eyes - Thanks for the review! Please try not to kill Ziggy..I need him for the rest of my story!  
  
Beena-Pani - All my classes are in portables! Thanks for the grammar lesson; grammar is one thing I hate, even though I love to write. I have to correct Daily Oral Language tests for my mom, and they give me headaches _. Thanks for your constant reviews!  
  
Trucalifornian - Thanks for the review! Sorry for keeping you waiting!  
  
lil ms kp - Thanks! Hey, it had to start somewhere!!!  
  
ER - Glad you like my story!! Don't start feeling sorry for him yet. it gets worse! (*Sobs* I'm so sorry Ziggiepoo!!! Please forgive me!!! *Zigzag gives Kat a weird look*)  
  
I got my mom to beta read for me!  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Holes, Stanley wouldn't be the main character, Squid would!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Broken  
  
"Ricky! What took you so long? School got out 45 minutes ago! You should have been home by now!" Ricky's mother stood on the steps leading up to the front door. She had her hands on her hips, and was glaring down at Ricky as he reached the walk and started up the stairs. Ricky glanced up, and then shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Mr. Mason kept me after, and I missed the bus. I had to walk home."  
  
"You walked? Do you have any idea how dangerous this neighborhood is? I never want you to take that chance again, you hear me?"  
  
"Yes, mom you know me, I am the most careful twelve year old in the Huston area. No one can sneak up on me without me noticing!" The next thing he knew, Ricky was struggling to get out of his younger sister's grasp. "Vicky! Let go!"  
  
"NO!! I was so worried when you didn't get off the bus, Ricky, and I was so scared that the bullies finally got you. I have a present for you, and I worked all day wrapping it and making it pretty for you! And I don't want you to leave me, because Talli's new boyfriend scares me! He's a football player!" Vicky gasped it all out in a rush.  
  
Ricky rolled his eyes and swung her around so she was in front of him. She was wearing a pretty pink dress, and he was sure it was under protest, his sister hated pink. She had on white tights and black Mary Janes. Her long blond hair was pulled back from her face with a headband and her curls where spilling down her back. Her green eyes where wide and glittering with unshed tears. She looked like a little doll, but she would scream, really, really, really loud if anyone said it out loud.  
  
Ricky smiled and gave her a hug. "So, you have something for me? I bet it's the best present ever!" He took her hand and led her inside. She ran into the living room dragging him behind her.  
  
"It's the bestest all right! I bought it for you myself! With my allowance." She grinned, reveling her missing front teeth, as she held out a carefully wrapped gift. "Happy March 22nd!"  
  
There was a snort from the couch behind her. "Happy March 22nd? There is no such holiday. Little kids are so stupid!" Talli, Ricky and Vicky's oldest sibling, was flopped across the couch, watching MTV music videos.  
  
"Your just jealous because you never get a March 22nd gift, Talli. If you weren't so stupid, maybe you'd get one too!" Ricky snapped at her. Ever since Vicky was old enough to understand the concept of gift giving, she had made several holidays. March 22nd was her favorite, because it was the first one she had declared. It was the only holiday that had survived the years, and every year, Talli tried to ruin it. At 17, she was 'too good for childish games'. "Come on Vicky, your gift is up in my room." After one last glare from Talli, they headed up the stairs.  
  
"Here's your present, Vicky. I hope you like it." Vicky smiled and ripped open the package.  
  
"Oh!" She shrieked, and started to jump up and down. "Anastasia! My favorite movie!! Thank you Ricky! You're the bestest." She gave her brother a big hug and handed him his gift. Ricky slowly unwrapped it, and inside, found a TV guide for that week, March 22nd, 1998. On the cover was a picture of some Star Trek crew, he didn't know which one, there were so many. He looked up at Vicky, whose smile was so big that it lit the whole room. "I bought all by myself. It was twenty-five cents. Do you like it?"  
  
"Of course, Vicky, it's the best March 22nd gift I have ever gotten. I'll keep it right here," he said, putting it on his bedside table, "forever. Every time I look at it, I'll think of my little sister." Vicky gave another shriek and pounced on him.  
  
"I love you Richard!"  
  
"I love you too, Victoria."  
  
"Don't call me that."  
  
"Then don't call me Richard."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Vicky, dear, come on, its time for your doctors appointment!"  
  
"Coming mommy. Wish me luck, the doctor is out to eat me." Vicky blew her brother a kiss and bounced down the stairs.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ricky was sitting on the couch watching MTV videos with Talli when his mom and Vicky came home. Becky, his mother, walked into the room and turned off the TV.  
  
"Hey! I was watching that!" Talli said, and reached around to turn the TV back on. Then she stopped. "Mom? What's wrong?" Their mother's face was tear stained and she hadn't let go of Vicky's hand since she had walked into the room.  
  
"I - I think you should sit down." She let go of Vicky's hand, and Vicky ran over to Ricky and buried her face in his chest. "Kids, I - I have bad news. The doctors - they took some tests. And Vicky - Vicky has leukemia."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I think I'll leave it here. Gives ya'll a nice little cliffy. 


End file.
